Library’s research support received an addition to the workforce in January 2019, when Marja Kuittinen started working as an information specialist at the Joensuu Campus. Marja, born in Siilinjärvi, has baked an “education cake” in computer science. The base layer of the “cake” is a MSc degree (University of Kuopio 1989), topped up with a Licentiate in Philosophy degree (University of Kuopio 1993) and as the icing on the cake is a PhD degree (University of Joensuu 1997) and a docentship on cognitive methods in computer science education (University of Joensuu 2005).

Marja has been working at the University of Eastern Finland and its predecessors since 1989. She has gained extensive work experience in the management of various positions from amanuensis to professorship at the School of Computing but particularly in the post of a university lecturer responsible for the education of Computer Science subject teachers since 1998. Marja’s research is heavily focused on teaching, especially on educational technology, computer-assisted instruction and programming education.

As an Information Specialist, Marja’s tasks are strongly related to the above-mentioned research support, with an emphasis on bibliometric services provided by the university to its researchers. Areas of responsibility also include open science, such as open publishing and teaching at postgraduate courses offered by the library. In her spare time, Marja is engaged in reading and crafts as well as outdoor activities in search of containers hidden by other people (read: geocaching).

Since October, the most sharp-eyed customers of the Joensuu Campus Library might have noticed something new behind the library’s customer service desk or between the bookshelves. This “something new” is actually Collections Services’ newest Information Specialist, Juho Jussila. Since graduating from the University of Tampere (and from the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences before that), this newcomer had mostly been working knee-deep in the mysterious world of governmental and academic archives and records. But when an opportunity to return to the world of academic libraries came, he did not hesitate.

The visible part of customer service is only a small part of Juho’s work. Most of the working time he spends buried in the depths of collection management work. Lately, the most time-consuming parts of his work have been cataloguing new material and working with department/faculty collections.

When not advancing the availability and accessibility of information, Juho can be found jogging the streets and paths of Joensuu or fiddling with various sound works. Either way, the feet are a-tapping.

Carelia 24/7 Learning Space is working!

The Carelia 24/7 Learning Space has been in use since the beginning of last October. The first month passed while starting up the service: the library distributed lots of access badges, and some policies regarding applying for them were simplified, for example, the access badge deposit fee can now be paid at the library’s customer service. At the moment, more than five hundred library users have been granted an access badge to the facilities.

These new facilities in the library have proven their necessity and functioned well. The users have also taken their responsibility and, besides a few exceptions, used the space for the purpose it was meant for: studying. The library thanks you, for successfully developing our studying environments is always pleasant.

The numbers of visitors between October and December 2017 indicate that the attendance concentrates on weekends — Saturdays and Sundays, of which Sundays are still the busiest days. Most visitors appeared on Sunday, 10th December, when there were 90 access badge holders signed in. During other weekdays, the number has been between 15–55 visitors. Best of all, our library users have remembered to rest during the Christmas holiday season, for the visitor numbers show that less than ten visitors per day visited the library between the holidays.

The Student Union’s Smiles and Complaints campaign gave our newly renovated facilities mainly praise. Especially the comfortable areas received compliments. However, there has been some negative feedback complaining that it is noisier than before and that the computer area does not allow to work in peace anymore. The renewed spaces have been divided into different zones, and you can choose your own spot for work according to your personal needs. The reading room is still a silent space, a majority of the computer area is purposed for reasonably quiet independent work, but in addition to these, the ground floor’s main hall does have spaces for small group work — and conversation is allowed in those areas. During the library’s normal opening hours, peaceful workspace can be found on the second and third floors.

There is a feedback and conversation area regarding the Carelia 24/7 Learning Space on Yammer, and all access badge holders are added to the group. We are more than happy to receive feedback and development ideas in order to continue this well-begun cooperation.

Joensuu Campus Library´s renovation was completed in August 2017. The finishing touches to the space and furnishing were added during the autumn. These photos are from the library´s first floor in the beginning of the year 2018. The UEF students and staff members can get a so-called Carelia 24/7 access badge to the space.

The new face at the Joensuu Campus Library is Information Specialist Anne Karhapää. In August, we also welcomed Information Specialist Virpi Lindi, and she works at the Kuopio Campus Library and the KUH Medical Library. Let’s hear a word from them both!

Anne Karhapää started as an Information Specialist at the library in April 2017. Her job description includes planning, coordinating and directing the university’s open access research data and UEF study material’s data management.

Anne graduated from the University of Joensuu, majoring in the English language. She has gathered her earlier work experience at the university from, among other assignments, as a training designer for Education and Social Sciences and as a trainer of educational practice of Information and Communication Technologies. Anne’s passion is learning new things, and especially developing the use of digital tools in work and learning. Between different kinds of studying projects, her free time flies in the countryside peace with a pack of horses, dogs and cats.

In August 2017, the library staff of the Kuopio Campus welcomed Virpi Lindi. Virpi’s line of work will be defined over the course of this autumn, but she mainly works as an Information Specialist and participates in the library’s research support services, information retrieval guidance and customer services.

Virpi originates from Vesanto, but she moved to Kuopio to study Nutrition and Food Sciences in the beginning of the 1990s. After graduation, she went further on with her postgraduate studies in the Department of Clinical Nutrition back in the University of Kuopio days. After her dissertation, Virpi worked as a researcher in the Institute of Biomedicine for more than 10 years. Ever since her childhood, Virpi has been a book-loving persona, and working in a library feels like winning in the lottery. In her leisure time, Virpi enjoys the natural scenery of her current home, Vuorela, reads a lot and does pilates. Listening to live music with a large scale of genres is also one of Virpi’s hobbies.